Hybrid

2025 Midwest Beaver Summit
Thursday, June 5
Oakton College, Des Plaines, IL
and virtual

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Hotel and Location

Presented by

Illinois Beaver Alliance
Superior Bio-Conservancy
Oakton College

Beaver Co-Existence Workshop with Mike Callahan
Wednesday, June 4
in-person only

2025 Hybrid Midwest Beaver Summit Schedule

8:30 a.m.: Nature Walk of Oakton College Campus with Naturalist Amanda Krause

9:30 a.m.: Registration, pastries, and coffee (in person only)

10:00 a.m.: Opening ceremony, land acknowledgment, introductions

10:40 to 11:15 a.m.: Keynote: Agroforestry: Cultivating Climate Resilience in Midwest Agriculture, Fred Iutzi, Savanna Institute

11:25 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Beavers: Partners in Climate Resilience, Dr. Emily Fairfax, University of Minnesota

12 to 12:55 p.m.: Lunch (in person); documentary films "Beavers in Paradise: Official film of the Ealing Beaver Project" and "Beaver: A Medicine of Possibility" (virtual)

1:00 to 1:35 p.m.: Beaver Management Plans for Local Entities, Mike Callahan, Beaver Institute

1:40 to 2:15 p.m.: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Beavers: An Anishinaabe Perspective, Michael Waasegiizhig-Price, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission

2:20 to 3:45 p.m.: In-Person Breakout Sessions; Virtual Breakout Sessions

3:50 to 4 p.m.: Wrap up

4:45 p.m.: Happy hour at hotel (in person only)

Virtual Breakout Sessions, featuring

Alex Hernly, The Pipsqueakery

Alexa Whipple, Methow Okanogan Beaver Project

Alexis Broz, Wild for Life
Alison Zak, the Human-Beaver Coexistence Fund

Bob Boucher, Superior Bio-Conservancy

Brock Dolman, Occidental Arts and Ecology Center
Bryan Hummel, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (retired)

Jane Newhouse, Newhouse Wildlife Rescue,

Kate Lundquist, Occidental Arts & Ecology Center

Kurt Menke, Septima

Leila Philip, author of New York Times bestselling paperback Beaverland

Lisa Haderlein, The Land Conservancy of McHenry County
Molly Alves, California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Phil Nicodemus, Urban Rivers

Rob Walton, NOAA Fisheries (retired)
Sammie Clark, Urban Rivers

In-Person Breakout Sessions, featuring

Brandon Hayes, Bold Bison Communication
Clay Frazer, Native-Range Ecological

Jeff Boland-Prom, Illinois Beaver Alliance

Jonah Docter-Loeb, Northfield Beaver Brigade

Kathleen Stelford, Oaken Acres Wildlife Center
Kristine Lorenzo, Friends of the Chicago River
Mike Callahan, Beaver Institute

Rachel Schick Siegel, Illinois Beaver Alliance

Yvonne Wallace Blane, Fellow Mortals Wildlife Hospital

Optional
Beaver Co-Existence Workshop with Beaver Institute Founder Mike Callahan
Wednesday, June 4 (In-Person Only)
Oakton College, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Perfect for transportation and municipality employees! Learn all about nonlethal beaver conflict resolution from the people who’ve installed more successful flow devices than anyone in the world. You’ll learn successful flow device theory, design and installation techniques, with hands-on building opportunities. Space is limited!